Olive tree named &#39;i-42&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of olive tree, herein referred to by its cultivar name, ‘I-42’, is provided which forms a spreading growth habit. Fruit with a low weight and acute shape is produced. The fruit exhibit black coloration and the fruit nipple is moderately present. The stone of the fruit of the new variety is of very low to low weight, very elongated and possess a moderately rugose surface.

BOTANICAL/COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION

Latin name—Olea europaea L.

Common name—Olive tree

Varietal Denomination—‘I-42’

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Spanish Application No. 20215606,which was filed at Spanish Office of Vegetable Varieties in Spain onFeb. 9, 2021, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by referencefor all purposes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of olive tree of the present invention was created by acontrolled cross in Spain wherein two parents which previously had beenstudied were crossed in the hope that they would contribute the desiredcharacteristics. The female parent (i.e., seed parent) of the newvariety was the ‘ARBOSANA’ variety (unpatented). The male parent (i.e.,pollen parent) was the ‘KORONEIKI’ variety (unpatented).

The parentage can be summarized as follows:

-   -   ‘ARBOSANA’×‘KORONEIKI’.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and smallplants were obtained which were physically and biologically differentfrom each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of asingle plant of the new variety.

The new variety's size is intermediate between ‘Arbosana’ and‘Koroneiki’ variety. The new variety's has same precocity in productionthan ‘Koroneiki’ cultivar. Table 1 further lists some of the differencesand similarities between the new variety and its parentage.

TABLE 1 Differences and similarities between new variety and itsparentage DIFFERENCES I-42 ARBOSANA KORONEIKI TREE TYPE Semi-DwarfNormal Normal TREE HABIT Spreading to Spreading Spreading dropping FRUITWEIGHT About 1.2 g About 1.43 g About 1.07 g STONE WEIGHT About 0.19 gAbout 0.23 g About 0.19 g

The new variety is different from the related ‘I-15’ variety (patented)since it have less vigor than ‘I-15’. The new variety is also differentfrom the ‘I-30’ variety (U.S. Ser. No. 17/376,725) since it has a biggerleaf and smaller size of fruit. Table 2 further lists some of thedifferences and similarities between the new variety and relatedcultivars, such as the ‘1-50’ variety (U.S. Ser. No. 17/376,634).

TABLE 2 Differences and similarities between new variety and relatedcultivars DIFFERENCES I-42 I-50 I-30 I-15 TREE TYPE Semi-Dwarf NormalSemi-Dwarf Normal TREE HABIT Spreading to spreading Spreading tospreading dropping dropping RIPENESS Early Early Early Medium LEAFLENGHT About 62 mm About 50 mm About 56 mm About 52 mm MAXIMUM FRUITAbout 12 mm About 15 mm About 15 mm About 15 mm DIAMETER (Transversal)

It was found that the new variety of the present invention possesses thefollowing combination of characteristics:

-   -   (a) the tree has a spreading growth habit    -   (b) the fruit weight is low and the fruit color is black    -   (c) the fruit is acute and weakly asymmetric    -   (d) the fruit possesses a moderate nipple    -   (e) the stone is very elongated with a very low to low weight        and possesses a moderately rugose surface.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry andhas not been commercialized. The new variety has an easy agronomicmanagement.

The new variety can be readily distinguished from related similarvarieties. The new variety has a small variety size.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation inVillafranca de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain by vegetative cuttings. Asexualpropagation by vegetative cutting in Spain has shown that thecharacteristics of the new variety are stable and are strictlytransmissible by such asexual propagation from one generation toanother. Accordingly, the new variety undergoes asexual propagation in atrue-to-type manner.

The new variety has been named ‘I-42’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same, in a color illustration of this character,typical specimens of the plant parts of the new variety.

FIG. 1—illustrates the growth of the new variety.

FIG. 2—illustrates the foliage of the new variety.

FIG. 3—illustrates specimens of the new variety's immature fruit.

FIG. 4—illustrates the growth habit of the new variety.

FIG. 5—illustrates the new variety's mature fruit.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of the RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart, 2007 edition), London,England. The terminology which precedes reference to the chart has beenadded to indicate the corresponding color in more common terms. Thedescription is based on data collected from a four-year-old specimenduring 2019 in Villafranca (Córdoba, Spain).

PLANT: growth habit spreading vigor low height (average) 210 cm width(average) 168 cm canopy width 168 cm canopy density Dense TRUNK: surfacetexture smooth bark color 148C (medium brown green) diameter (average)47 mm cross-section 47 mm (diameter) MAIN STEMS: length (average) 210 cmamount of 5 main branches circumference 47 mm (average) colordesignation 148C (medium brown green) (young stems) color designation148A (dark brown green) (mature stems) surface texture smooth (youngstems) surface texture smooth (mature stems) lenticels absent internodelength 10-20 cm (average) cross-section 47 mm LATERAL BRANCHES:abundance high cross-section 15-20 cm average length 80 cm diameter 20cm (average) internode length 10 cm (average) Texture smooth strengthmedium color designation 148C (medium brown green) (young branches)color designation 148C (dark brown green) (mature branches) fruitingshoots All pubescence absent LEAVES: arrangement The arrangement of theleaves is typical of Olea europaea L. Species (two opposite leaves pereach node). venation pattern Central line length (average) 62 mm width(average) 15  color (upper surface) 142A (light green) young leavescolor (lower surface) 142D (light green) young leaves color (uppersurface) 143A (medium green) mature leaves color (lower surface) 142D(light green) mature leaves leaf margins smooth texture smooth shapeelongated (include tip shape and base shape) curvature of None.longitudinal axis PETIOLE: average length 4-6 mm average diameter 1 mmINFLORESCENCE: type racime average length medium average width mediumnumber of flowers at least 15 (average) flower bud size (length andwidth) medium flower bud shape medium flower bud color 142D (lightgreen) flowering time First of May in Villafranca de Córdoba (Córdoba,Spain) during 2 weeks. PEDUNCLE: average length 3 mm average diameter 1mm texture smooth strength medium FLOWER: type in racime shape Ovatediameter (average) 6 mm height (average) 5 mm sepals 4 sepals in cross(unfused) sepal length 3 mm (average) sepal width 2 mm (average) sepalshape elongated sepal apex shape peak sepal base shape rounded sepalmargin smooth sepal texture smooth petal number per 0 flower ANDROCIUM:stamen number 2 filament length 3 mm anther attachment basifixed anthershape globular (monothecal) anther length 2 mm GYNOECIUM: pistilquantity 1 stigma shape ovate stigma length 2 mm style length 2 mm ovaryposition Superior ovary shape hypoginus ovary diameter about 2 mmcarpels 1 CALYX: number (average) 4 shape In cross shape base fusedmargin smooth texture smooth color (upper) 155A (White) color (lower)155A (White) PEDICEL: length (average) 1-5 mm diameter (average) 1 mmcolor 145D (light green) texture smooth FRUIT: average weight 1.19 g(low) shape - apex acute color designation 59B (dark purple red) (fleshcolor) color designation 58A (dark purple) (skin color) ripeningIntermediate fat yield 20% size (average) small length (average) 22 mmwidth (average) 20 mm height (average) 22 mm marbling medium symmetryslightly asymmetrical pistil scar central mucron present lenticel sizemedium (immature fruit) number of lenticels low number of lenticels(immature fruit) nipple present bloom on surface medium (relativeamount) STALK length (average) 5 mm diameter (average 1 mm color 148CSTONE: quantity 1 shape very elongated average weight 0.19 g (very lowto low) average length 12 mm average width 6 mm grooving 7 suturesmedium color 152C (dark green brown) symmetry symmetrical texturemoderately rugose mucron Present DEVELOPMENT: productivity Very high andconstant, 942 oil liter per acre and year. time of flowering first daysof May in Villafranca de Córdoba, Spain. flowering period 2 weeks timeof fruit ripening 3 months ripening period October-December winterhardiness/ unknown cold tolerance drought/heat unknown tolerancePlant/fruit disease, Free of Cucumovirus cucumber pest resistance mosaicvirus (CMV), Nepovirus cherry leaf roll virus (CLRV), Incertae Sedisstrawberry latent ringspot virus (SLRSV) and Nepovirus arabis mosaicvirus (ArMV).

The new ‘I-42’ variety has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that thephenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in light intensityand duration, cultural practices, and other environmental conditions.

1. A new and distinct variety of olive tree named ‘I-42’, as illustratedand described herein.